I Pray
by Emerald Twin Blade
Summary: Eugene truly loves her... No one can change that. Not Isabella, and definitely not a gun. Slight spoiler for Episode 24. SongFic to Amanda Perez's "I Pray."


disclaimer: Emerald Twin Blade does not own **Hanasakeru Seishounen** or any of the characters from the show that y'find in this fic. She also doesn't own the song "I Pray," for it was sung and performed by Amanda Perez.

Emerald's News & Nonsense:

... I just realized that my 3-word prompt was the first Hanasakeru Seishounen fanfic on here. And that currently, there are only 2 HanaSei fics.

We simply cannot have that, now, can we?? I'll be writing a series of one-shots to add to the freakin' archive. I like more than one pairing from HanaSei anyway, so I'll write for all of 'em. I wouldn't hold my breath on a Li Ren x Kajika shot from me, though... I don't particularly like Li Ren with her. If anybody, he belongs with Lumati. -bricked.- X__x

Okay, anyway... This fic was inspired by Amanda Perez's "I Pray" song. The pairing is Eugene/Mustafa x Kajika, because I thought the song went well with how depressing he thinks. If you haven't heard the song, I will suggest that you listen to it BEFORE you read the fic. It'll make more sense. -nodnod.-

BTW, song lyrics are in _italics_, but if something's italicized in a sentence, that's just emphasis. XD

* * *

"Y'know, with each day that passes by, I pray to God I'll never forget who you are.

You mean everything to me.

I love you."

-- Amanda Perez, "I Pray."

* * *

"Mustafa!!" the sixteen year old girl called to the blonde that was about to exit the house, "Where're you going?"

Eugene de Volcan turned to face her, a serene smile on his face while a curious one was on hers, "I'm just going out for a little while, Kajika. You don't have to worry; I'll be back soon."

Silver eyes were rolled at him as a pout came to her lips, her arms folding, "You have to come back within the hour, though! Daddy says that he wants to talk to all of us, so if you don't contact me by three-forty, we're going to look for you!"

The blonde's smile widened at her, "I'll be here."

With that, he was out the door with his hands in his pockets. Golden hues looked ahead to watch where he was going, but his mind was elsewhere. The same smile he had flashed to the young girl was still plastered to his face, her adorable expressions and antics going through his head. Had it really only been about a year since they first met?

_You were in my dream_

_Before I even knew that there was a 'you and me.'_

He could remember taking his life for granted and nearly killing himself, having been convinced that it was what his mother would have wanted. Kajika had saved him from that… had saved him from himself.

She gave him a new life. She gave him purpose. But most of all, she gave him true love.

Eugene had fallen for this girl, who believed that her pet leopard was somewhere inside of him. He could feel truly happy with simply being around her, hearing her voice, seeing her childishly charming face smiling…

_Now I can't wait to see you smile._

_When I wake up each day, it makes it worth while._

_With the kind of love you plant inside_

'_Specially with a heart so empty as mine._

He was half-tempted to turn around and go back to her, wanting, _needing_, to be by her side. The blonde suddenly came to a stop in the middle of the hallway, seeing that his ex-sister-in-law had turned the corner and now stood staring at him with her hands behind her back.

"Eugene…" She breathed heavily; the familiar look in her eyes that something he really did not want to see, "I knew I'd find you here."

"Well, Isabella," He started, narrowing his eyes at her, "you found me."

In comparison with all other girls that had gotten involved in his life, and there _were_ a lot, Kajika Barnsworth was so different… so _pure_. Her innocence was what made her interesting and, to him, untouchable.

_All your soft tenderness is the one thing that I don't wanna miss._

Isabella stood there, simply watching him quietly. It was unnerving… Eugene cleared his throat and tilted his head to the side, his blonde bangs swaying.

"Was there something you wanted? I was just on my way out."

"Well… I-I know it's a little short notice, but… would you promise to—"

Already he knew exactly how to answer. He raised a hand to silence her at mid-sentence, "No."

He was tired of promises. He was tired of promising things to people he did not like or want to associate with. What exactly made him stay in communication with this woman, who was no longer a part of his family?

The hurt, needy look on her face was enough to remind him.

… Oh, right; _she_ kept coming back to _him_, just like every other girl he had met.

_I pray_

_That when it's time for me to say goodbye_

_I'll never forget looking in your eyes._

"But… I didn't get to—"

"I don't need to hear it. The answer is no." He interrupted her again, calmly shutting her down, "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

The blonde was about to spin on his heel to go back the way he had come, but he was only able to turn ninety degrees when the woman pulled out a handgun from behind her back. Again, his eyes were narrow at her; he should have guessed such a thing would happen. He had been through similar situations, what, three times before?

_I pray_

_That when I close my eyes_

_I can still see visions of you on my mind._

He had frozen in place, but after a few seconds, he slowly and calmly turned to face her again, "Isabella… what is this about?"

"You've been with her for over a _year_, Eugene!" she snarled, her feminine voice sounding strange in such a rough tone, "When will you leave? When will you be single again?"

He did not like where this was going…

"… When will it be _my_ turn?"

_I pray_

_That I see you in another life._

_I pray that you're still by my side._

_Oh, I pray._

He sighed in exasperation, picking up his right hand to run through his bangs, "We've been over this already…"

"It's just not like you!!" she cried, both of her hands now gripping the weapon.

Eugene glared at her, "What makes you think you know me?"

Isabella was taken aback by the look, taking a step away from him, but then regaining her confidence. It was already too late, however, as Eugene had already seen her falter.

"Kajika helped me when I needed someone… She understood me when no one else did. She _changed_ me for the better!" He barked, sincerely angered that this woman was trying to come between his friendship with the Barnsworth girl, "She's given me so much and asked for nothing in return…"

_Everything that you give to me_

_Only comes in a fantasy._

_It seems like life goes so fast,_

_But in this time, I want to make it last._

His ex-sister-in-law's hands began to tremble furiously, tears springing to life in her wide eyes. The deep hurt he saw there… He did not care. He did not feel sorry for her, nor did he feel the urge to apologize. There was no reason to.

It did not matter that she had pointed a gun at him. She would not shoot him; they never did. Three girls had already been driven to suicide because of him… All Isabella would do was make four.

He had not expected it… He never did. But it happened, nonetheless.

_**BANG!**_

_I hate that we live to die…_

_But only God knows why._

Eugene de Volcan grunted softly as the bullet penetrated his neck, golden eyes wide open as he stumbled back a few steps. His hand went to his neck, feeling the hot stream of sticky red blood escape the confines of his flesh. His other hand reached for the wall to his left, trying to holding himself up. The pain that shot from his neck, however, took his strength from him with each passing second. He tumbled to the ground, landing on his elbow and then hitting the back of his head against the soft carpet.

_We all have a purpose…_

_And to see you again, it'll all be worth it._

His head was spinning, and he could feel his eyes spinning dizzily. He shut them tightly, trying to focus, but his attention was on the fact that he was bleeding. He heaved in vast amounts of air, trying to cancel out the pain by filling his lungs with oxygen. The platinum blonde must have looked like a fish out of water, trying to breathe… trying to stay alive.

He could vaguely make out the scream that had ripped from Isabella's lips as security guards suddenly came in and took her away. Running feet thumped loudly against the carpet somewhere above him, but the sound he heard clearly was the gasp that had come from _her_.

"MUSTAFA!!" Her voice, filled with hysteria, had cried.

_I pray_

_That when it's time for me to say goodbye_

_I'll never forget looking in your eyes._

In a second, she had made her way to my side, silver eyes glassy with liquid diamonds spilling over her cheeks in sadness. He reached up his left hand slowly, touching her warm cheek gently.

"Ka… jika…"

_I pray_

_That I feel your touch_

_And that God doesn't forget our love._

Her smaller hand placed itself over his, holding it tightly as she grit her teeth. Her eyes tried so hard to stay open, but she shut them as she leaned over him and sobbed.

_I pray_

_That when I close my eyes_

_I can still see visions of you on my mind._

"Mustafa!! Mustafa, you can't leave!! Not after we finally found each other again…" Her voice, an octave higher, cracked several times as she spoke.

To the very end, she still believed that he was her leopard… but he liked it that way. It meant that they had known each other longer than they really had.

And it also gave him hope…

_I pray_

_That I see you in another life._

_I pray that you're still by my side._

… that maybe, just maybe, they could meet again, for a third time.

Eugene smiled weakly up at her, wishing and praying and hoping with all his heart that it could happen. One year with her felt so much longer… but he wanted eternity, regardless of whether he suffered or not.

He wanted to live.

_I wish that I could stop time._

_I wish that I could rewind_

_To the very beginning of every second of my life._

He lived to be with her… but after what had led to this unfortunate incident, did this mean that he would _die_ to be with her, as well?

_To ask God on my hands and knees_

_To never let me forget all my special memories._

He did not want to forget about her. Not her or anything that had happened since he met her. Sure, everything that happened had been difficult to deal with, but they all had taken on the burden together. Even now, the problems continued to grow… and without him around, who would pick up his slack?

_See, I'm only promised today_

_And if it's my time to go_

_I don't want the love of my life to ever fade away._

Finally, the pain had numbed and he was beginning to feel cold. All of a sudden, he grew somnolent, his eyelids drooping and falling closed as weariness enveloped him.

He was so tired…

"Stay awake! Mustafa!!"

Kajika's voice sounded so far away now. If he had more control over his actions, he might have grinned grimly at himself.

He was dying.

A year ago, he would have been glad to die by whatever means. Just when he finally decided that he wanted to live… when he finally had a reason to live…

It was all taken away from him.

"MUSTAFA!!!!"

_So one last time_

_Let me open my eyes_

_To see what my life used to be like._

_Oh, God._

His golden yellow eyes slowly came open once more, no light of living shimmering in them as it had previously. Kajika could feel her heart cave in on itself when she saw it, whimpering and crying like a child.

"Kaji… ka…"

Cloudy silver orbs connected with his golden ones, panic and sorrow clearly visible behind a veil of crystal tears.

"Tell me… you love me…"

_I pray_

_That when it's time for me to say goodbye_

_I'll never forget looking in your eyes._

_I pray_

_That I feel your touch_

_And that God doesn't forget our love._

"I love you… I love you very, very much, Eugene!" Kajika admitted without a second thought, her hands holding his to her cheek gently.

Eugene smiled, glad to have heard her say it. She was such a simple, innocent child… He knew that she did not really have the same feelings for him as he did for her, but for her to reply so quickly, it made him feel for the last time that he was not alone.

_I pray_

_That when I close my eyes_

_I can still see visions of you on my mind._

"… love you… Kaji… ka…" he mumbled barely audibly, eyes falling closed for the last time.

His heavy breathing came to a startling halt. His skin was freezing to touch. All color drained completely from him.

The teen felt her heart stop at the unbelievable realization:

He was gone.

_I pray_

_That I see you in another life_

_I pray that you're still by my side._

She tried to keep herself quiet and to keep herself to crying out, but she could not stop herself from screaming as the paramedics finally made to onto the scene.

"MUSTAFAAAA!!!!!!!"

_Oh, I pray…_


End file.
